Virgin Media network downed by scouse power outage

Power problems in Knowsley near Liverpool downed Virgin Media's cable network in the north and midlands today, leaving customers without broadband or TV for several hours.

The problems began at about 11.30am. Power was restored around 1pm, a Virgin Media spokesman said, and engineers are still investigating the specific cause of the outage. Backup power was knocked out too.

Cable TV is working now, Virgin Media's spokesman said, while broadband and interactive TV services are being restored gradually as DHCP(dynamic IP number pools) systems are refreshed. Telephony was unaffected.

The firm apologised for the failure.

Knowsley is the site of one of Virgin Media's three main network head-ends. It was inherited from Telewest. ®